Atomizing closure device for liquid receptacles



April 27, 1954 D. RATHSPRECHER 2,676,345

ATOMIZINGV CLOSURE DEVICE FOR LIQUID RECEPTACLES Filed Nov. 4, 1949.Fie].

2 Sheets-Sheet l 'April 27, 1954 D. RATHSPRECHER ATOMIZING CLOSUREDEVICE FOR LIQUID RECEPTACLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ICFP VIII,

Filed Nov. 4, 1949 FIG 7 FEB".

Zz2/z) czzmp Patented Apr. 27, 1954 ATOMIZING CLOSURE DEVICE FOR LIQUIDRECEPTACLES David Rathsprecher, Ixelles-Brussels, Belgium, assignor, bymesne assignments, to General Closure Corp., New York, N. Y., acorporation Application November 4, 1949, Serial No. 125,475

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to a closure device for liquid containersand has for an object to provide an improved closure device which by avery simple and convenient manipulation permits liquid or other materialcontained in the receptacle to be poured, distributed, closed oratomized or vapourised, and which after use automatically causes thereceptacle to be hermetically sealed.

The closure device according to one use of the invention is applied withadvantage to closure of perfume bottles and other receptacles containingliquid perfumery products. It eliminates drawbacks of conventionalscrew-on caps or conical stoppers which for each use had 'to beunscrewed and screwed on again or withdrawn and replaced, and which wereliable to'jamming or seizing.

The device according to one embodiment of the present inventioncomprises on the one hand a distributor piece provided at the opening ofthe receptacle, said distributor piece optionally and preferably havinga conical or oblique seat penetrated by at least one passagecommunicating with the interior of the receptacle and leading to anorifice or nozzle that opens on the said seat, and a. movable closureelement having a surface co-operating with the surface of the said seat,elastic means being optionally and preferably provided for keeping theclosure element applied against the seat in a position in which ithermetically closes the said orifice or nozzle, but against the actionof which optional elastic means the closure element or obturator elementcan be manually displaced so as to free the i said orifice or nozzle andpermit liquid or other material contained in the receptacle to move outthrough the orifice or nozzle.

The closure element may be axially movable so that it can be lifted fromthe seat against the action of a spring tending to apply it against theseat. Alternatively the closure element may be mounted so as to be freeto be turned while remaining constantly in contact with the seat andcomprise for each orifice of the seat a recess which can be movedmanually to coincide with said orifice against the action of anoptionalspring which tends to return the obturator element to an angularposition in which the recesses do not coincide with the orifices.

When the closure element is axially movable and is constituted by asleeve enclosing the distributor piece and spaced from said distributorpiece the air space between the sleeve and said piece can, with the helpof scaling joint form a part of an air pump. I can thus provide aclosure device which also functions as a dosing device or as a vaporizeror atomizer, with the passages required for the operation of the dos--ing or vaporising or atomizing device being provided in the distributorpiece. Further features of the invention will appear from the followingdescription and the annexed drawings, which represent by way of examplevarious embodiments of the invention.

In all forms the base of the closure device according to the inventionmay, according to the intended use, be screwed or otherwisefixed on themouth of the receptacle, or it may be introduced into this mouth in themanner of a removable stopper, or it may be integral with thereceptacle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an axial section of a closure device forming a pourer with anaxially movable closure sleeve;

Fig la illustrates another embodiment of the distributor rod of theclosure device according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 1b illustratcsanother modification of the distributor rod of Fig.1;

Fig. 2 is an axial section of a closure device forming a pourer with arotary closure element;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device according to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line IVIV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an axial section on a larger scale of a closure device forminga liquid closing device, the device being shown in its initial positionbefore the dispensing of a-dose;

Fig. 5a shows one smaller scale another form of the distributor rod, andof the closure and dosing device of Fig. 5; I

Fig. 6 is an axial section of the closure and dosing device of Fig.'5-near the end of a dosing operation; 1

Fig. '7 is an axial section of a closure device forming a vaporising oratomizing device;

Fig. 8 is an axial section of an obturator or closure device whichalsoprovides a pouring and vaporising or atomizing device;

Fig. 9 is an axial section of an inverted model of a closure deviceforming a pourer and vaporiser or atomizer.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l, the base of the closure devicecomprises a screw-threaded cap I adapted to be screwed on the neck of abottie schematically indicated at 2. Plugged in the cap I is adistributor rod 3, the enlarged head of which is shaped to provide alongitudinal seat 4 which has an inverted frusto-conical shape, as oneexample. Extending from the lower to the upper end of the rod 3 is apouring passage 5 and an air entry passage 6, both of which are incommunication with the interior of the bottle 2. At its outer end, eachpassage 5 and 6 has a lateral port which terminates in the valve seat l,between the inner and outer ends of rod 3. The air entry passage 6 maybe extended downwardly if necessary by an immersion tube I. Thedistributor rod 3 is surrounded by a sleeve 8 which fits slidably overthe cap I and which has at its upper portion a valve surface 9 whichfits exactly upon the conical seat 4 of the rod 3. A spring I0 upwardlybiases the sleeve 8 so as to apply the valve surface 9 against the valveseat 4 and thus hermetically seal the orifices or outlet ports of thepassages 5 and *8, while permitting this sleeve to be manually presseddown to expose the said orifices. I

In order to pour out liquid from the bottle 2 it is only necessary tolower the sleeve 8, for example, by pressing it down or inwardly withthe tip of a finger of the hand holding the bottle, whereafter liquidcan be poured through the passage 5, while air to replace the pouredliquid enters the bottle 2 through the air inlet passage 6. Uponreleasing the sleeve 8, the spring I0 automatically lifts the sleeve 8and thus closes hermetically the upper ports or openings of the passages5 and 6 by applying the valve surface 9 of the sleeve against the valveseat 4 of the rod 3.

To facilitate manufacture it may be of advantage to divide the rod 3transversely into two parts. This can be carried out in the mannerillustrated in Fig. 1a. In this embodiment the lower part 3a of this rodis integral with the cap I, and the upper part 3b is connected to saidlower part 3a by a plug-and-socket joint or in any other appropriatemanner.

In Fig. 1b the passages 5 and Send in nozzles 5a, 6a, the outer ends ofwhich are chamfered to form an oblique or tapered valve seat 4a. Iprefer to use a closure device which is axially shiftable.

Figs. 2 to 4 show a closure device suitable for pouring, comprising arotary closure element, the other elements being the same, and beingdesignated by the same reference numerals as in Fig. 1. In thisembodiment, the closure element is a sleeve II which is so mountedbetween the conical valve seat 4 of the rod 3 and a shoulder of the capI as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of rod 3. The sleeveII, the valve surface 9 of which fits accurately on the valve seat 4 ofthe rod, is provided at its upper edge with two recesses or notches I2and I3 (Figs. 2 and 3), which in one position of the sleeve I I registerwith the orifices of the passages 5 and 6 in valve seat 4, while atorsion spring I4 normally holds the sleeve II in closing position in anangular position relative to the rod 3 in which the notches or channelsI2 and I3 do not register with the passages 5 and 6. A lug I5 fixed tothe sleeve I I moves between two stops I5 and II which are fixed to thecap I, or to rod 3, so as to limit the angular movement of the sleeve II. When the sleeve, under the action of the spring I4, occupies itsnormal closur or sealing position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, in whichthe lug I5 is in contact with the stop Is, the notches I2 and I3 arelaterally displaced in relation to the orifices of the passages 5 and 6,so that the latter are hermetically sealed by the valve surface 9 of thesleeve II. When, however the sleeve 4 is turned in the direction of thearrows of Fig. 3 until the lug I5 prevents further movement by strikingthe stop II, the notches I2 and I3 register with the orifices of thepassages 5 and 6 as illustrated in Fig. 2, thus permitting liquid to bepoured from the receptacle as in the embodiment of Fig. 1. Similarly,when the sleeve II is released the optional spring I4 will automaticallyreturn the sleeve II to the position of Figs. 3 and 4, thus ensuringhermetic closure of the passages and 6. Manual turning of the sleeve Iiis facilitated by providing the sleeve with a handle or with ribs I8projecting from its periphery.

By making the passages 5 and 6 of a closure and pouring device accordingto the invention suitably narrow, one can obtain a drop-by-dropdispensing of the poured liquid, thus obtaining very practical andeminently hygienic drop counters. the orifices of which are alwaysautomatically closed after use.

When the desired fine bore of the passages is not obtained duringinitial manufacture, it can be obtained by inserting therein a suitablycalibrated small tube.

In the embodiments which will now be described, and which areillustrated in Figs. 5 to 8. a chamber IQ of variable volume, formedbetween the axially movable sleeve 8 and the stationary distributor rod3, is utilised to form an air pump, thus permitting the provision ofclosure devices which at the same time form dosers or vaporisers oratomizers for liquid.

With this object in view a sealing ring 20 is provided on the cap I toprovide a seal relative to the axially slidable sleeve 8, and in thupper portion of this sleeve 8 a packing ring 2I is provided to form aseal with the rod 3.

When the sleeve 8 is moved from its outer blocking position of Fig. 5 toits inner unblocking position of Fig. 6, the air-confining members 20and H confine the air sufiiciently in the air space or air chamber I9,to force the air from said chamber I9 into the receptacle. During theoutward stroke of sleeve 8 to its outer position of Fig. 5, there isenough leakage to replenish the supply of air in chamber I9. It iswell-known in hydraulic pumps and in air pumps to provide a one-waypacking which is fluid-tight during the compression stroke and whichyields during the reverse stroke so as to be not fluid-tight during thereverse stroke.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a closure device forming a liquid closer inwhich the distributor rod 3, in addition to the dispensing passage 5which ends in an orifice or port provided in the valve seat 4, isprovided with a second passage 22 communicating with the interior of thereceptacle at the top of the cap I, and ending at the side of thedistributor rod 3, in the part of the chamber I9 which is most remotefrom the valve seat 4. When a receptacle carrying this closure anddosing device is suitably inclined, and the sleeve 8 is pressed from thenormal sealing position illustrated in Fig. 5 to the dispensing positionillustrated in Fig. 6, the air contained in chamber I9 is displacedthrough the passage 22 into the receptacle as indicated by the arrow 24,thus causing a corresponding always equal quantity of liquid to beexpelled through the port of passage 5, as indicated by the arrow 25. Toprevent liquid from passing through the passage 22, I may providetherein a one-way valve opening 'PQWQI'QS 1. interior of the receptacle.In the illustrated example this one-way valve is a ball 3a, 3b, aspreviously explained with reference to Fig. la; In the case of Fig. 5athe passage 22 is formed in the part 3a of the rod, this part beingintegral with the cap I;

Fig. 7 illustrates a closure device which forms a vaporising oratomizing device for liquids. In this embodiment a passage 28 isprovided in'the distributor rod or stem 3. This passage 28 is connectedto a passage 29 whose outer end communicates rwith air-space or chamberI 9; The upper or outer end of passage 28 communicates with a lateralaspiration passage 30, which has an outlet port in the frusto-conicalvalve-seat 4 of the rod or stem 3. The lower end of the passage 28 isplugged at 3|. Adjacent the passage 28, the aspiration passage 30communicates with a passage 32 which also extends through the rod 3 andis continued downwardly by a tube 33 extending into th liquid. When thecap 8 is pressed down, the air compressed in the chamber I9 is ejectedthrough passage 29 and upwardly through passage 28 into the aspirationpassage 30 and, in moving past the open upper end of the passage 32,produces a suction therein which causes liquid to rise therein to beejected in the form of an atomized jet, which is discharged through theoutlet port of aspiration passage 30. passage 34 also ending on the seat4, is provided for permitting air to be aspirated into the chamber l9when the sleeve 8, under the action of the spring l0, rises again. Inthis embodiment, the valve seat 9 includes a sealing insert or ring 2!.

The closure device as described can be used in various ways. Instead ofbeing screwed on a bottle by means of a screw-threaded cap I, saidclosure device may be inserted into the mouth of a bottle by suitablyshaping the lower end of the distributor rod 3, like a conventionalconical stopper. Such a closure and vaporising or atomizing device canalso be removed from the bottle as a unit, in order to apply the liquid,for example a perfume, with the aid of the small tube 33 or, if thelatter is notprovicled, with the lower end of the rod 3 itself.

On the other hand, the part i, instead of being a cap intended to befixed on a bottle or other receptacles, may itself constitute the upperpart of a small receptacle Whose body is indicated in broken lines at34c, thus constituting an extremely convenient pocket vaporiser.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 7, it is shown how the uppersealing ring 2| can be so arranged as not only to form a seal againstthe cylindrical portion of the rod 3, but also to cover the surface 9 ofthe sleeve 8 and supply a hermetic packing layer for th valve seat 4 ofthe rod 3.

Fig. 8 shows a closure device which is capable of providing a pourer anda vaporiser, and which for this purpose comprises both the pouringpassage .5 and the passages 28 and 32 which form the vaporising system.

Fig. 9 finally shows an embodiment in which the valve seat and valve areat the inner end of the closure. This arrangement may be applied to theother embodiments. Instead of having a valve seat, which hares outwardlyand which is provided at the upper end of a rod, this embodiment of Fig.9 comprises a valve seat 35 which 23 from A Small flares inwardly andwhich may be formed directly on a capd adapted to be fixed on the bottle2. This cap is extended by a tube 36, the upper end of which is open andis surrounded by a sleeve 3'! closed at its upper end. A ring 38 isfitted into and fixed to the lower end of this sleeve 31. This ring 38can slide under moderate friction on a tube 36 and said ring 38 isprovided internally with a frusto-conical valve surface 33 fittingaccurately on the frusto-conical surface of the valve seat 35. The cap Iis provided with the pouring passage 5 which connects the interior ofthe receptacle to an orifice or port located on the frusto-conical seat35, while the vaporising or atomizing passage 28 connects the lower endof the tube 35 with the vaporising or atomizing orifice 35!, which isalso located on the valve seat 35, and the passage 32 opens into thepassage 23 to lead into it the liquid to be vaporised or atomized. Atthe upper end of the tube 33 is mounted a sealing ring 4! held betweentwo rigid rings fill and serving to form a seal between the upper end ofthe tube 36 and the slidable sleeve 31.

A spring Ill is interposed between the ring 38 and the lower ring 48 andtends to apply the valve surface 39 of ring 38 to the seat 35 toclosehermetically the orifice of the pouring passage 5 and the vaporisingorifice 30.

By slightly lifting the sleeve 3! and with it the ring 38, the seat 35is cleared and liquid can be poured out through the passage 5. If apumping action is exerted by repeated up and down movement of the sleeve31, liquid is vaporised or atomized or ejected through the orifice 3t.

When the device is not manually operated, the spring It! always acts tolower the ring 33 upon the cap 5 so that the valve surface 353 of saidring is applied upon the seat 35 and ensures hermetic sealing.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to theembodiments which have been described with reference to the annexeddrawings and that the invention may be incorporated in other embodimentswithout abandoning its principle.

Thus, the spring is only one preferred means for keeping the parts innormal selected relative positions and otherchanges and omissions andsubstitutions and additions may be made without departing from the scopeof the invention. Thus, while the interfitting flared shape of the valveand valve seatis preferable, other lnterfitting shapes of the inner andouter parts of the device may be used to provide a seal when the partsare in their selecting normal positions and gaskets and the like may beused to provide said seal.

For convenience, the sleeve 3 is designated as the outer body member,and this designation applies to the member 31-33 of Fig. 9. The rod 3 isdesignated as the internal body member, and this designation applies tothe combined rod or tube 35 and the cap I of Fig. 9.

At least apart of the internal body member is located within the outerbody member, and

the internal body member extends through at least one end of the outerbody member.

The internal body member has at least one delivery passage, which hasrespective inner and outer end-ports. The inner end-port is located tocommunicate'with the receptacle. The outer end-port is located in theinternalbody member, intermediate the inner and outer ends of saidinternal body member. 1 g

The external body member is movable relative to the internal body memberto a selected closure or block-position in which said external bodymember blocks or closes said outer end-port. The external body member isalso movable to a selected opening or unblocking position in which saidexternal body member unblocks said outer end-port.

Said internal body member optionally and preferably has a longitudinalaxis, and the relative movement between said body members is optionallyand preferably an axial movement.

I claim:

1. A closure device for a receptacle, said closure device comprising asealing member which has a longitudinal periphery and which is shaped tomake sealing contact with the mouth of the receptacle, a longitudinalinternal body member which is fixed to said sealing member, said.internal body member extending longitudinally outwardly from saidsealing member and being of smaller diameter than said sealing memberand being spaced laterally inwardly of said longitudinal periphery, saidinternal body member having a longitudinal delivery passage which has aninlet port and an outlet port, said outlet port being lateral andextending laterally through the wall of said internal body memberinwardly of the outer end of said internal body member, said outer endof said internal body member being closed, said lateral outlet portbeing 1on gitudinally further away from said sealing member than saidinlet port, said closure device also comprising a longitudinallydisposed sleeve which is movable relative to said internal member andsaid sealing device to blocking position and unblocking position, saidsleeve having an internal longitudinal wall of greater diameter thansaid internal member and said longitudinal periphery, said internallongitudinal wall of said sleeve substantially interfitting with saidlongitudinal periphery to provide a bearing for said sleeve at saidlongitudinal periphery, said internal member being shaped at saidlateral port to provide a tapered valve-seat, said sleeve being shapedat said valve-seat to provide a closes said lateral port when saidsleeve is in blocking position and which opens said lateral port whenthe sleeve is in unblocking position, a biasing spring which normallyholds said sleeve in blocking position, said biasing spring beinglocated wholly in the space between said sealing member and saidinternal body member and said sleeve.

2. A closure device according to claim 1, said device having means tomaintain said sleeve in said blocking position.

3. A closure device according to claim 1, said device having springmeans which bias said sleeve to said blocking position and whichyieldingly maintian said sleeve in said blocking position.

4. A closure device according to claim 1, in which said internal memberand said sleeve have a common longitudinal axis, the outer end-wall ofsaid internal body member is imperforate, and said sleeve is movable inthe direction of said axis relative to said internal body member.

5. A closure device according to claim 1, in which said internalbody-member also has an air passage which has an air-inlet-port and anairoutlet-port, said air-outlet-port being located to deliver air fromsaid passage to the receptacle, said air-inlet-port being also locatedbetween the inner end and the outer end of said internal body member andbeing located to be blocked by said sleeve in its blocking position andto be tapered valve which j unblocked by said external body member inits unblocking position.

6. A closure device according to claim 1, in which said blocking meansconsist of a tapered valve seat and a tapered valve surface providedrespectively in said internal member and said sleeve, said valve seatand said valve surface having interfitting shapes.

'7. A closure device according to claim 1, in which the proximate wallsof said internal member and said sleeve are spaced from each other toprovide an intermediate air space, and said closure device has a springlocated in said intermediate air space, said spring biasing said sleeveto said blocking position and yieldingly maintaining said sleeve in saidblocking position.

8. An atomizer device which comprises an internal body member and anexternal body member, each said body member having an inner end and anouter end, at least part of said internal body member being locatedwithin said external body member, said body members having a commonlongitudinal axis, the proximate longitudinal walls of said body membersbeing spaced laterally from each other to provide an intermediate airspace, said internal body member having a liquid-delivery passage whichhas an inlet port and an outlet port, said outlet port being locatedintermediate the inner and outer ends of said internal body member, saidinternal member also having an aspiration passage which communicateswith said outlet port, said internal body member also having an airpassage which has an air-inlet-port and an air-outlet-port, saidair-inlet-port being located between the inner and outer ends or saidinternal body member and opening into said air space, saidair-outletport opening into said aspiration passage, said externalmember being longitudinally movable relative to said internal member torespective blocking and unblocking positions, said body members havingblocking means to block said outlet port in said blocking position andto unblock said outlet port in said unblocking position, said bodymembers also having means to prevent substantial leakage of air out ofsaid air space when said external member is moved from blocking positionto unblocking position, the movement of said external member fromblocking position to unblocking position forcing air from said air spacethrough said air passage and said aspiration passage to exert anaspiration effect on said liquid-delivery passage at said outlet port.

9. An atomizer device which comprises a longitudinal stem and alongitudinal sleeve, said stem having a part thereof located within saidsleeve, the proximate longitudinal walls of said stem and said sleevebeing spaced laterally from each other to provide an intermediate airspace, the outer end of said stern being closed, said stem having aliquid-delivery passage which has an inlet end at the inner end of saidstem and an outlet end which communicates with a lateral aspirationpassage which has an outlet port at one end of said aspiration passagein the Wall of said stem inwardly of the closed outer end of said stem,said stem also having an air-passage, one end of said air-passagecommunicating with said aspiration passage, the other end of saidair-passage communicating with said air space, said sleeve beinglongitudinally movable to-and-fro relative to said stem to respectiveblocking and unblocking positions of said sleeve, said sleeve beingshaped to block said outlet port when said sleeve is in block- 9. ingposition, said sleeve being shaped to unblock said outlet port when saidsleeve is in unblockin position, means to prevent substantial leakage ofair out of said air space when said sleeve is moved from block ngposition to unblocking position in order to compress the air in said airspace when said sleeve is thus moved.

10. An atomizer device according to claim 9 in which said aspirationpassage has another port at the other end of said aspiration passage,said other port being also in th wall of said stem inwardly of itsclosed outer end, said sleeve being shaped to block and to unblock saidother port when said sleeve blocks and unblocks said outlet port.

11. A closure device according to claim 1, in which said internalbody-member also has an air passage which has an air-inlet-port and'anair-outlet-port, said airoutlet-port being located to deliver air fromsaid passage to the receptacle, said air-inlet-port being also locatedbetween the inner end and the outer end of said internal body member andbeing located to be blocked by said external body member in its blockingposition and to be unblocked by said external body member in itsunblocking position, said internal body member also having a one-wayvalve which permits the fiow of air from said air-inlet-port to saidair-outlet-port and which blocks the reverse flow a of air through saidair passage.

12. A closure device for a receptacle, said device comprising aninternal body member and an external body member, each said body memberhaving an inner end and an outer end, said body members having a commonlongitudinal axis, said internal body member having a delivery passagewhich has an inlet port and an outlet port, said outlet port beinglocated intermediate the inner end and the outer end of said internalbody member, the proximate longitudinal walls of said body members beingspaced laterally from each other to provide an intermediat air space,said external body member being longitudinally movable relative to saidinternal body member to a blocking position and an unblocking position,said internal body member also having an air passage which has anair-inlet-port and an air-outletport, said air-inlet-port being locatedbetween the inner end and the outer end of said internal body 10 member,said air-inlet-port being also located to communicate with said airspace in said blocking and unblocking positions and while said externalmember is moved from said blocking position to said unblocking position,said body members having blocking means to block said outlet port insaid blocking position and to unblock said outlet port in saidunblocking position, and airconfining means providing a close slidingfit between said body members during the movement of said external bodymember from said blocking position to said unblocking position to thenforce air from said air space through said air-outletport, saidair-outlet-port being located to deliver the air to the receptacle.

13. A closure device according to claim 12, said device having a springlocated in said air space, said spring biasing said external body memberto said blocking position and yieldingly maintaining said external bodymember in said blocking position.

14. A closure device according to claim 12, in which said internalmember has a one-way valve which permits air to flow from said air spacethrough said air-outlet-port and which blocks said air passage whilesaid external member is moved from its unblocking position to itsblocking position.

15. An atomizer device according to claim 8, in which said internal bodymember has an additional delivery passage which has an additional inletport and an additional outlet port, said additional outlet port beinglocated between the inner and outer ends of said internal body member tobe blocked by said external body member in its blocking position and tobe unblocked by said external member in its unblocking position.

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